Department for Transport

Clean Air Zones

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to the Clean Air Zones Central Services (Fees) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/1444), what restrictions there are on the amount that local authorities can charge different types of non-compliant vehicles which enter a clean air zone; whether local authorities can retain such charges; whether local authorities are required to use the central services set out in these regulations; and what is the charge per transaction for the use of these services payable to the Department of Transport.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The purpose of this instrument is to enable the Secretary of State to charge local authorities in England for using the Clean Air Zones Central Services (“CAZ Central Services”). The Government is creating the Services to support the practical implementation of Clean Air Zones (“CAZs”). A CAZ is an area where targeted action is taken to improve air quality, which can include a charging scheme. The CAZ Central Services are national infrastructure services that can be used to administer CAZ charging schemes and include a digital service (including the ability to make payments online) and technical and customer contact support.a) What restrictions, if any, are there on the amount that local authorities can charge different types of non-compliant vehicles which enter a Clean Air Zone. The ability for charging authorities to introduce a charging scheme, and therefore a Clean Air Zone, is set out in the Transport Act 2000. Part 3 of the Act empowers local authorities (as “charging authorities”) to make a local charging scheme in respect of the use or keeping of motor vehicles on roads. Charge levels for non-compliant vehicles (those that do not meet the requirements of that particular Clean Air Zone) should be set appropriately based on the local circumstances of the local authority and should consider the behaviour change needed to deliver the ambitions for the zone; the local economic and social factors of the zone and surrounding areas; and the operational costs of running a scheme. There are no restrictions on the amount that local authorities can charge but local authorities should not set the level of charge as a revenue raising measure.b) Whether local authorities can retain such charges. Under the Transport Act 2000 the net proceeds of any charging schemes made under the Act can be retained but are only available to the local authority for the purpose of facilitating the achievement of its local transport policies. This can include the promotion of cycling and walking and other sustainable transport alternatives. A local authority has to give an indication of their plans for use of net proceeds in the Charge Scheme Orders that establish their road user charging schemes. This is a legal requirement that comes from the Transport Act 2000 powers, where the local authority has to relate their decision back to the relevant Transport Plan.c) Whether local authorities are required to use the Central Services set out in these Regulations, and what is the charge per transaction for the use of these services payable to the Department for Transport. Local authorities are not required to use the CAZ Central Services and can choose to use an alternative service provider if it does not negatively impact upon the time in which it takes to achieve compliance with legal levels for air quality (value for money must also be considered). Local authorities that use the service, will be charged a transaction charge of £2 for each CAZ charge that is processed through the Services (when a motorist uses the CAZ Central Services to successfully pay a CAZ charge imposed by a charging scheme made by the local authority, for driving in a zone).

Travel Restrictions: Coronavirus

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the permissible reasons for UK citizens to travel internationallywhile the restrictions to address the COVID-19 pandemic are in place.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: As the Prime Minister said in his statement on 27 January, under the stay at home regulations it is illegal to leave home to travel abroad for leisure purposes. The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020 set out the legally permitted reasons to leave home, and therefore travel internationally. These reasons include compassionate visits, where one is visiting someone who is dying, or for essential work purposes.

Railways

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish up-to-date forecasts of future demand for travel by rail; whether any such forecasts (1) will provide separate data for (a) commuting, and (b) long distance travel, and (2) will include reductions in peak and other passenger rail services; and what plans they have to ensure that any freed-up rail capacity will be made available to improve rail freight services.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department has not historically published forecasts of future rail demand. The Department continues to actively work to understand the impact of coronavirus on rail demand, including close working with industry. As part of this we are ensuring that we use a range of rail demand scenarios based on a series of factors that could drive rail demand over the short and long term to influence decisions, and which does consider the impact on commuting and long-distance travel. These scenarios do not consider reductions in peak and other passenger services. Given the considerable uncertainty that the pandemic has caused, these scenarios cannot be used as forecasts. However, they do reflect some of the possible impacts of the pandemic on future rail demand. Network Rail (NR) has enabled Freight Operating Companies (FOCs) to run longer and heavier trains on the network in light of the reduced passenger timetable during the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering environmental and efficiency benefits. The Department continues to work closely with NR and FOC’s to explore further opportunities.

Musical Instruments: Customs

Lord Aberdare: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to enable UK orchestras to continue to use (a) specialist UK-based hauliers, or (b) their own trucks, to transport musical instruments across multiple EU countries, and (2) to negotiate with the EU an exemption to barriers of the movement of goods for cultural purposes.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) between the UK and the EU allows UK hauliers to undertake up to 2 additional laden journeys, cross-trade or cabotage, within the EU after a laden international journey from the UK, with a maximum of 1 cabotage movement outside Ireland. These rules will also apply to specialist hauliers, such as hauliers who carry equipment for musicians and other performers, even when using their own truck.Our assessment is that the TCA will allow the vast majority of haulage operations that were being undertaken by UK hauliers before the end of the transition period. However, UK operators will not be allowed to undertake more than 2 movements within the EU before returning to the UK. This issue was discussed in detail as part of negotiations, but the EU was unwilling to agree more flexible arrangements.

Railways: Bridges

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 8 February (HL12929), what assessment the Highways Agency has made of imposing weight restrictions on historic railway estate structures as an alternative to demolition; and what plans they have to consult local authorities before deciding on demolition.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Pursuant to the answer to HL12929, Highways England’s existing procedures on Historical Railways Estate (HRE) structures are designed to keep the public safe and are underpinned by what is the safest and most appropriate option for a given structure. Local highway authorities have responsibility for applying weight restrictions, closing the roads, or restricting traffic. Approximately 200 of the public road bridges on the HRE managed by Highways England have failed their most recent structural assessment but Local Authorities have not had any restrictions implemented. Therefore, in these cases, Highways England’s planned infilling is the safest and most appropriate option and will maintain access across the structures. Although there are currently no plans to review existing procedures, this will be kept under review. Highways England enjoys a strong working relationship with local councils, allowing for an open dialogue about local authority responsibilities and the potential future use or transfer of ownership of bridges, and has contacted all local authorities affected to advise them of its plans to see if they have any use for the structures. In addition, it has arranged for seven structures to be transferred to local authorities which aspire to use them for cycle routes.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Small Businesses: Coronavirus and UK Trade with EU

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with small businesses on the effect of the (1) COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) the UK’s trading relationship with the EU, on such businesses.

Lord Callanan: The Government maintains an ongoing programme of engagement with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and their Business Representative Organisations (BROs) in order to better understand the ongoing impact of COVID-19 and to support them in adapting to the UKs new trading relationship with the EU. In recent weeks, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has hosted roundtables with SMEs and BROs to discuss a range of topical issues facing SMEs, including Covid-19 and EU trade. My Hon. Friend the Minister for Small Business regularly meets with SMEs and BROs from a range of sectors across the UK and holds weekly calls with representatives from the hospitality and consumer goods sectors. On the Covid-19 pandemic, in addition to regular meetings with SMEs, BEIS Ministers conducted 25 regional business engagement roundtables, including nine roundtables with businesses in the Devolved Nations. Attendance at these events was made up of mainly SMEs, reaching over 1,000 attendees. BEIS continues to deliver a rolling plan of engagement with UK SMEs, including through webinars and other events across the spectrum of our sectors to discuss the ongoing impact of Covid-19, the continued support Government is providing businesses and how we can Build Back Better as our economy reopens. On the UK’s relationship with the EU, we communicate with a wide range of sectors and businesses about actions they can take to be ready for new opportunities now the transition period has ended. This includes a regular bulletin to BROs, with over 12,500 subscribers, and a weekly email from the Secretary of State to over half a million subscribers, including small businesses. In the run up to the end of the Transition Period, the Government corresponded with over 4.7 million businesses, circulated frequent bulletins, and provided support to Trade Associations to communicate to their members. There have been over 9.5 million views of information about UK transition and over 55,000 businesses have directly engaged with webinars, forums or through sector engagement since October 2020. Webinars have received over 16,000 views, and digital adverts have achieved over 47 million impressions. As the backbone of our economy, we will continue to ensure that SMEs are engaged on Covid-19 and EU Trade, in addition to the wider issues that impact them.

Business: Coronavirus

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussionsthey have had with business representative organisations about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses.

Lord Callanan: Ministers and officials have engaged closely with business representative organisations throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and we continue to do so.BEIS Ministers hold regular sector calls with all the industries that BEIS covers, including but not limited to manufacturing, energy, construction, life sciences, professional services, retail and hospitality. The industry representatives include business organisations and trade associations. We use these ongoing engagements to collect direct intelligence on the impacts of Covid-19 on industries and sectors that informs the response from BEIS and other Government departments and ensures the effectiveness of the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak and economic recovery.

Business: UK Trade with EU

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussionsthey have had with business organisationsabout the impact of the UK’s trading relationship withthe EU on businesses.

Lord Callanan: Ministers and officials have engaged closely with business organisations throughout the negotiations with the EU and we continue to do so. BEIS Ministers hold regular calls with all BEIS sectors, including but not limited to manufacturing, energy, construction, life sciences, professional business services, retail and hospitality. We use these ongoing engagements to collect direct intelligence on the impacts of the Trade Co-operation Agreement (TCA) on industries and sectors that informs the response from BEIS and other Government departments, and ensures the effectiveness of Government’s advice and support to businesses. In addition, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster chairs the Brexit Business Taskforce comprising a wide group of businesses and business organisations that regularly meet to discuss the impacts and opportunities for businesses from the UK leaving the EU.

Fairgrounds: Coronavirus

Baroness Bull: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether thelist of businesses eligible for local authority financial support as a result of COVID-19 includes travelling and permanently-sited fairground businesses.

Lord Callanan: In order to be eligible for the grant funding which is available for closed businesses there are three key considerations for Local Authorities when determining the eligibility for a grant under mandatory closure schemes: Is the business paying business rates?Is the main service of that business required to close due to local or national restrictions?Is the business able to self-declare that it meets all scheme conditions, including eligibility and subsidy control requirements? Where an organisation meets all these criteria, they are considered eligible for the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed). Both static and fixed fairground businesses may be eligible if they currently pay ongoing fixed property costs. Where businesses are not eligible to receive support from mandatory grant schemes, they may be able to access support from Local Authority discretionary grant schemes including the Additional Restrictions Grant.

Small Businesses: Remote Working

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support small businesses in equipping remote workers with digital technology.

Lord Callanan: The Government’s commitment to promoting digital adoption and facilitating digital upskilling includes several initiatives, including: - Local Digital Skills Partnerships, which currently operate in seven regions across England, working to advance digital inclusion, support small businesses and build regional digital skills capability. - the Digital Boost platform, which is building a community of digital experts providing one-to-one support to small businesses and charities free of charge to help them improve their digital capability and build an online presence.

Business: Coronavirus

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic onbusinesses’ ability to trade.

Lord Callanan: We know that businesses across all sectors have faced enormous challenges throughout this pandemic, that is why the Government has spent over £280bn to put in place an unprecedented package of support to protect jobs and help businesses continue trading where possible. We are also investing in the development, purchase, and deployment of vaccines in order to lift restrictions once the health data indicates it is prudent to do so.

Biotechnology

Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to undertake a strategic review of the role biologics manufacturing could play in pandemic responsiveness and resilience.

Lord Callanan: Currently the UK does not have the capability or scale to manufacture bulk levels of antibodies; the Vaccine Taskforce identified this as a potential weakness in the UK’s future pandemic response. As a result, the Government issued a Prior Information Notice in October 2020 to engage with the market to explore how UK antibody manufacturing capability can be developed to secure permanent UK access and build resilience. The findings from the market engagement exercise, and the wider landscape of the pandemic, has resulted in the need for a broader strategic review of the role that biologics manufacturing could play in pandemic responsiveness and resilience. The Government has invested over £300 million to secure and scale-up the UK’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities to be able to respond to the pandemic. This includes: a) Facilities that have come online:£4.7 million for skills training through the Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network, which will be delivered through both virtual and physical centres;£8.75 million for the set-up of the rapid deployment facility at Oxford Biomedica in Oxfordshire;£65.5 million for the early manufacture of the University of Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine; andFunding for fill and finish through a contract with Wockhardt in Wrexham, North Wales which is currently providing fill and finish capabilities to the University of Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine. b) Facilities that will come online later this year, to help provide longer term UK capacity and will help in pandemic preparedness: £93 million to accelerate the completion and expanded role of the Vaccine Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Oxfordshire; and£127 million for the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult Braintree in Essex. In addition to the above, we have also funded the expansion of the Valneva factory in Livingston, Scotland.

Employment: Coronavirus

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recentdiscussions they have had with manufacturers about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment levels.

Lord Callanan: Throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, we have engaged closely with manufacturing industry through sector roundtables and by talking directly to businesses. This has helped shape the Government’s unprecedented package of support which has included loan schemes, grant funding, tax deferrals and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, all of which is designed to be accessible to businesses in most sectors including manufacturing.

Cancer: Drugs

Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for greater UK manufacturing capacity of monoclonal antibodies; and whatsteps they intend to take to secure such capacity.

Lord Callanan: Currently the UK does not have the capability or scale to manufacture bulk levels of antibodies; the Vaccine Taskforce has identified this as a potential weakness in the UK’s future pandemic response. As a result, the Government issued a Prior Information Notice in October 2020 to engage with the market to explore how UK antibody manufacturing capability can be developed to secure permanent UK access and build resilience. The findings from the market engagement exercise, and the wider landscape of the pandemic, has resulted in the need for a broader strategic review of the role that biologics manufacturing could play in pandemic responsiveness and resilience. The Government has also invested £127 million in the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult Braintree, which as well as vaccine drug substance manufacture, has the capability for antibody scale-up and clinical scale production of neutralising antibodies for prophylactic and therapeutic treatment.

Energy: Housing

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 28 January (HL12149), whether they will reconsider the recommendation made by the Policy Exchange in their report Efficient Energy Policy: How to encourage improvements in domestic energy efficiency, published on 2 March 2016, to link Stamp Duty Land Tax to the energy performance of a dwelling, in the light of their finding that it would result in 2,700,000 homes being upgraded over a ten year period and be revenue neutral.

Lord Callanan: As with all tax policy, Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is kept under review, but the Government does not currently have any plans to link SDLT on properties with their relative energy efficiency. As set out in the Energy White Paper, we will be consulting on regulatory options to improve the energy performance of owner occupier homes this year.

Green Homes Grant Scheme

Lord Stunell: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Green Homes Grant vouchers have been (1) submitted to ICF for payment, and (2) paid out by ICF to contractors presenting vouchers, in each month since September 2020.

Lord Callanan: Official scheme statistics will be published in due course. BEIS will continue to monitor application data as the scheme progresses.

Green Homes Grant Scheme

Lord Stunell: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the contractual maximum period for honouring vouchers tendered to ICF by contractors under the Green Homes Grant scheme; what proportion of payments have exceeded that period since September 2020; and what steps they are taking to accelerate such payments to contractors who have completed eligible works.

Lord Callanan: ICF will honour vouchers in line with the Green Home Grant Scheme terms and conditions. The payment process is a four-step process that requires: the customer to confirm the work has been completed, the installer to record the work on the TrustMark database, the scheme administrator to check the conditions of the voucher issued have been met, and then the scheme administrator to make the payment. The scheme administrator check is to ensure consumer protection and value for money, including undertaking fraud checks. The scheme administrator aims to pay as soon as possible after this process is complete. We are working with consumers and installers to ensure they are clear on the information and checks required, so that vouchers can be paid as quickly as possible. The scheme administrator is prioritising the payment of the vouchers as a matter of urgency. Official scheme statistics will be published in due course.

Company Voluntary Arrangements

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Company Voluntary Arrangements were made in the last 12 months for which data is held.

Lord Callanan: There were 286 Company Voluntary Arrangements registered in the UK between January and December 2020. These data have been extracted from the publicly available quarterly insolvency statistics published on GOV.UK.

Company Voluntary Arrangements

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for altering the voting procedure for Company Voluntary Arrangements.

Lord Callanan: The Government has no plans to alter the voting procedure for company voluntary arrangements.

Department of Health and Social Care

Trikafta

Lord Wei: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Kaftrio is available to cystic fibrosis patients in England; if not, why not; if it is available to such patients, whether there are any restrictions on that drug's availability; and if so, why.

Lord Bethell: Kaftrio is available to National Health Service patients in England in line with its license through an interim access deal negotiated between NHS England and NHS Improvement and Vertex, the drug manufacturer. This deal will last for four years and means that eligible NHS patients are among the first in Europe to benefit from access to Kaftrio.As part of this deal, NHS England and NHS Improvement committed to expanding patient access to Kaftrio to cover any future license extensions by the European Medicines Agency.

Coronavirus: Ethnic Groups

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to makenew COVID-19 regulations specifically to protect BAME communities from the virus.

Lord Bethell: For each change in restrictions, formal assessments are made through a Public Sector Equality Duty analysis, under section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This along with other appropriate assessments considers the potential impacts on groups with protected characteristics as a result of restrictions.Where outbreaks occur in areas where there are large black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, local authorities should use their local knowledge to engage with and support those communities and we work with local authorities to consider whether national interventions are needed to protect people living in the area.

Coronavirus: Travel

Baroness McGregor-Smith: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have received from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies on the ability oftesting international arrivals for COVID-19 to provide a safe travel system.

Lord Bethell: The Government has taken scientific advice into account at each step of the development of COVID-19 border measures. The Government has recently introduced a suite of border measures to protect public health. These measures include introducing a pre-departure testing regime for international arrivals and the suspension of all travel corridors to England, meaning that all non-exempt international arrivals must self-isolate for 10 full days.From 15 February, all travellers who in the 10 days prior to their arrival have been in a country from which travel to the United Kingdom is banned will be required to quarantine in Government managed facilities. All international arrivals will be required to take a mandatory COVID-19 test on day two and day eight of their quarantine period. The Test to Release scheme will remain available to international arrivals from countries that are not on the ‘red list’.

Coronavirus: North West

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to respond to the open letter from the leaders and chief executives of Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds city councils to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care which raised concerns that localrestrictions put in place to address the COVID-19 pandemicpose a "huge, disproportionate” economic impact; and if so, when they intend to respond.

Lord Bethell: Evidence indicated that reduced operating hours allowed businesses to trade for the majority of the evening while also controlling transmission rates. This aimed to minimise damage to the economy and society, jobs and livelihoods and safeguard education in schools, colleges and universities.COVID‑19 support is available to employers and the self-employed, including sole traders and limited company directors and includes loans, tax relief and cash grants, whether a business is open or closed.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the lettersent by the Leader of Newcastle City Council, the Leader of Leeds City Council, the Leader of Manchester City Council andthe Mayor of Liverpool to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 6 October; and in particular, the concerns expressed about the (1) efficacy, and (2) clarity, of restrictions introduced to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Bethell: The Department responded to the letter on 23 November 2020.As the pandemic has progressed, we have gained a better understanding of the virus and how it spreads. When reviewing the efficacy of restrictions, the Government assess a range of indicators which currently includes:- Case detection rates in all age groups;- Case detection rates in the over 60 year olds;- The rate at which cases are rising or falling;- Positivity rate or the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken in the general population; and- Pressure on the National Health Service, including current and projected occupancy, admissions, staff absences.These indicators are under constant review, regardless of the level of restrictions. Since March 2020, the Government has put in place national restrictions which have led to reduced case rates and hospital admissions.The Government endeavours to communicate changes to restrictions clearly through the media. Additionally, the Contain framework sets out how national and local partners work with the public at a local level to prevent, contain and manage outbreaks, including through communication. Contain facilitates engagement with local authorities through regional partnership teams, including the Department, Joint Biosecurity Centre and Public Health England, ensuring local stakeholder views are part of the decision-making process.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the process is for determining a change in the local COVID-19 alert level; and why the Liverpool City Region is subject to a higher alert level than other cities facing similar levels of cases.

Lord Bethell: In reviewing alert levels, the Government takes into consideration all the available data for the local situation, including incidence, test positivity and growth rate amongst other factors, to reduce the spread of the virus and bring ‘R’ back below 1. Decisions on the response to suppress the virus in places at local COVID alert level very high, including Liverpool, were made in consultation with local authorities and directors of public health to ensure that the measures are relevant to that area’s economic, social and public health situation.

Coronavirus: Screening

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assesment has been made of funding and creating extra capacity in (1) NHS, (2) private, and (3) other laboratories, before 31 March 2021.

Lord Bethell: HM Treasury approved £22 billion of spending this year for the NHS Test and Trace programme. This covers testing to meet demand over the winter. We are providing an additional £7 billion for NHS Test and Trace to support increased testing, including community testing and ongoing improvements to contact tracing. Eighty per cent of this will be directly spent on laboratories, tests and testing kits.

Nurses: Pay

Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatestimate they have made ofthe average rate of pay of a qualified nurse with ten years experience in (1) 2010, and (2) 2020; and if adjusted for the purchasing value of the pound, what would be the percentage change in remuneration since 2010.

Lord Bethell: In June 2010, basic pay, not including any additional earnings, for a newly qualified nurse at the bottom of Band 5, on a full-time equivalent basis (FTE), was £21,176.We can estimate that, for nurses still working in the Hospital and Community Health Sector (HCHS) in June 2020, average basic pay per FTE was £34,216. This is a nominal increase of 61.6% and reflects pay awards; progression up pay scales within pay bands, promotion to more senior roles in higher pay bands and the effects of the Agenda for Change multi-year pay and contract reform deal (2018/19-2020/21). After accounting for consumer price index inflation this is a real terms increase of 33.2%.Nurses can also earn premium rates of pay for working during unsocial hours or through agreed overtime. The NHS reward package also includes a generous annual leave allowance and access to a much-valued pension scheme.These estimates are derived from unvalidated data from the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) Data Warehouse. This is a monthly snapshot of the live ESR system, which is the HR and payroll system for the HCHS sector in England. It does not cover those working in general practice, social care or the independent sector and one NHS foundation trust that has chosen to not use the system.

Hospices

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increase in demand for hospice care due to delays in the diagnosis of terminal illnesses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and what steps are they taking to address that increase.

Lord Bethell: No specific assessment has been made. The Department has been working with NHS England and NHS Improvement to monitor the availability and use of hospice capacity since April.We are aware of an overall increase in demand, but it is currently too early and complex to provide detailed information on how much, if any, is currently due to delays in diagnosis.Since April, the hospice sector has worked hard to re-design service in response to the pandemic by shutting day services that cannot run in line with COVID-19 guidance and increasing community services, enabling an overall increase in available capacity.We regularly assess the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on the hospice sector, and through NHS England and NHS Improvement are in regular discussions with stakeholders in the sector about the challenges they face. We continue to keep the situation under review as further information becomes available.

NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme 2020

Baroness Sherlock: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bethell on 24 November 2020 (HL9950),how many claims the NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Schemehas received; how many payments have been made by that Scheme; and what wasthe total value of those payments.

Lord Bethell: As of 27 January, the NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme (England) has received 307 claims, of which 268 have been accepted. Payment has been made for 175 of these claims, with a further 92 accepted for payment pending proof of probate from the claimant and one case in the course of payment. Two cases have not been accepted and the remainder are going through the stages of being processed and assessed. The total value of accepted claims is £16,080,000.

NHS Test and Trace: Civil Servants

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people employed by NHS Test and Trace have left their roles; and how many such people were subject to the Business Appointment Rules for Civil Servants.

Lord Bethell: The NHS Test and Trace workforce consists of a combination of; civil servants employed by the programme and also on loan from across Government, secondees from the public and private sector, contractors and consultants. Since May 2020 our data shows that a total of 630 people have left their role on NHS Test and Trace. 220 of these were civil servants, of which 19 have left the Civil Service completely and are therefore subject to the Business Appointment Rules.

Department for Education

Askham Bryan College

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government which Government departments have relationships with Askham Bryan College; andwhich Department has overall responsibility for policies towards that college.

Baroness Berridge: Askham Bryan College’s primary relationship with government is with the department and its executive agency, the Education and Skills Funding Agency. The department has overall responsibility for policies relating to the delivery of further education and higher education which are provided by Askham Bryan College.

Pre-school Education: Finance

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking in relation to the underspending by local education authorities of funding earmarked for children’s early education and care which has been instead channelled into other areas of education spending.

Baroness Berridge: The setting of local provider funding rates is a decision for local authorities in consultation with their Schools Forum. The free childcare offers for two-, three- and four-year-olds are demand-led and local authorities will see an underspend in their funding if take-up of any of the entitlements has not been as high as the local authority had forecast at the start of the year. Any underspend from a local authority’s early years budget is carried forward to the next financial year, and must remain within the education budget, as is set out here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2021-to-2022/dsg-conditions-of-grant-2021-to-2022. Local authorities must also consult with their Schools Forum on the use of their underspend, as is set out here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/945784/Schools_Operational_guide_2021_to_2022_V4_.pdf.My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced on 25 November 2020 a £44 million investment in the 2021-22 financial year, for local authorities to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers for the government’s free childcare entitlement offers. In the 2021-22 financial year we will increase the hourly funding rates for all local authorities by 8p an hour for the two-year-old entitlement and, for the vast majority of areas, by 6p an hour for the three- and four-year-old entitlement.

Climate Change and Nature Conservation: Education

Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) the causes of climate change, and (2) actionsthat can benefit and decrease any negative impact onthe natural environment, are taught in schools in England.

Baroness Berridge: It is vital that young people are taught about climate change. For this reason, related topics are included throughout both the science and geography curricula and GCSEs. In primary science and geography, pupils are given a firm foundation for the further study of the environment in secondary school. For example, in primary science, pupils are taught about how environments can change as a result of human actions. They will learn about animals’ habitats, including that changes to the environment may pose dangers to living things. In primary geography, pupils will be taught about seasonal and daily weather patterns, climate zones and human geography, including land use, economic activity and the distribution of natural resources.In secondary science, pupils are taught about the production of carbon dioxide by human activity and the effect this has on the climate. This is expanded on in GCSE science where pupils will consider the evidence for additional anthropogenic causes of climate change. In secondary geography, pupils will look at how human and physical processes interact to influence and change landscapes, environments and the climate. As part of GCSE geography, pupils will look at the causes, consequences of, and responses to extreme weather conditions and natural weather hazards. In 2017, the department also introduced a new environmental science A level. This will enable pupils to study topics that will support their understanding of climate change and how it can be tackled.School and teachers can go beyond the topics set out in the national curriculum, or do more in-depth teaching of these topic areas, if they so wish.

Remote Education: Trade Promotion

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote opportunities for UK companies to offer online tuition in (1) the UK, and (2) overseas.

Baroness Berridge: The Department’s £350 million National Tutoring Programme (NTP) will engage around 15,000 tutors to support 250,000 pupils across England, with the majority of our tuition partners providing online support. Through our EdTech grant funding partnership, Nesta are supporting some tuition partners to strengthen their digital and online offering and capabilities. For example, adapting online content to better meet the needs of students with special educational needs, developing lower-bandwidth platforms, and embedding impact measurement into online provision. The NTP for 5 to 16 year olds has been extended for another year and more information will be available in due course. More broadly, businesses in England can access free support and guidance on finding the right finance to grow or scale up from the network of local growth hubs and the freephone Business Support Helpline. Information and advice on scaling and growing a business can also be be found on gov.uk. Firms based in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales can access business support through their Governments. The Government’s International Education Strategy commits to promoting overseas opportunities for UK companies. We proactively identify opportunities in global markets and to support the sector in maximising its supply capabilities to meet this demand. We promote opportunities via the Exporting Is GREAT website and work closely with British Educational Suppliers Association, the trade association for UK EdTech, and the sector to maximise exposure to opportunities for online education providers.

Education: Coronavirus

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they haveto close any legal loopholes which allow (1) home education, and (2) unregistered schools, to operate.

Baroness Berridge: The government’s aim is to ensure all young people receive world-class education which allows them to reach their potential and live a more fulfilled life, regardless of background. That education should be provided in a safe environment, whether at school or at home.Parents have a right to educate their children at home, and the government wants the many parents who do it well to be supported. Most parents who take up the weighty responsibility of home education do a very good job, and many children benefit from being educated at home.However, others are deemed to be ‘home educated’ but, in reality, such education as they get is mainly or entirely through attendance at unsuitable settings such as unregistered independent schools or multiple part-time settings. There is also likely to be a number of children for whom the education being provided is unsuitable, because their parents cannot educate them effectively at home, or the children are simply not being educated.In the spring of 2019, a consultation was held on proposals for a mandatory register of children not attending state or registered independent schools to help local authorities carry out their responsibilities in relation to children not in school. The consultation closed in June 2019. Responses to the consultation have been considered and a formal government response document setting out the next steps is expected later this year.Any education setting which provides full-time provision to 5 or more pupils of compulsory school age (or one or more pupils of compulsory school age who is looked after or has an education, health, and care plan) is required to register with the Department for Education as a school. It is a criminal offence to conduct an independent school that is not registered.The current definition of full-time education does not capture settings which offer only a narrow curriculum even if this teaching takes place throughout all, or most, of the school day. The department consulted on proposals last year to change the definition of independent schools in primary legislation to incorporate such settings. We are currently considering responses to this consultation and will confirm further steps in due course.The Department for Education and Ofsted are continuing to investigate any settings where intelligence or evidence suggest the operation of an unregistered school.

Apprentices

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have tointroduce "portable" apprenticeships.

Baroness Berridge: We are committed to ensuring that sectors where flexible working practices are commonplace, including short periods of project-based employment, are able to make full use of apprenticeships.As my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, set out in his speech on 29 September 2020, we want more apprenticeships to be transferable from company to company. During 2021-22, we will test approaches to supporting apprenticeships in these industries, including in construction and the creative industries, and will also consider the role that sectoral apprenticeship agencies might play.

Getters Talmud Torah

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the Getters Talmud Torah school is continuing to operate as an unregistered school.

Baroness Berridge: The Department for Education has not seen any recent evidence in relation to whether the Getters Talmud Torah setting is operating as an independent school. If the noble Lord is aware of such information I would be most grateful if he would share it with me or inform the appropriate inspectorate.An independent school is a setting which provides a full-time education to 5 or more pupils of compulsory school age (or one or more pupil who is looked after or has an education, health and care plan). The current definition of full-time education does not capture settings which offer only a narrow curriculum, even if this teaching takes place throughout all, or most, of the school day. The department consulted on proposals last year to change the definition of independent schools in primary legislation to incorporate such settings. We are currently considering responses to this consultation and will confirm further steps in due course.All settings, whether registered or unregistered, must also comply with relevant regulations relating to COVID-19. Failure to do so will be a breach of legislation and poses a risk to public health.

Schools: Carbon Emissions

Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what incentives are in place for schools in England (1) to measure, and (2) to reduce, carbon emissions.

Baroness Berridge: Reduction in energy use in new and existing buildings to meet the net zero carbon emissions by 2050 target is a priority for the UK government.The department published the Good Estate Management for Schools guidance in April 2018. The guidance includes a section on ‘Energy and water management’, and tips on reducing energy and water use in schools, including measuring energy and water consumption. It also signposts schools to other organisations that provide training, information, and support in relation to sustainability and energy efficiency in schools.In 2020, the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy setup the £1 billion Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme which provided grants for public sector bodies including schools to fund energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation measures. This scheme has now ended, however, schools can apply for funding through Salix for projects to reduce carbon emissions as well as accessing funding through the department’s own Condition Improvement Fund for improvements to buildings and services within schools which contribute to reducing emissions.

Out-of-school Education: Coronavirus

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatestimatethey have made of the number of unregistered schools that have continued to operate during theCOVID-19 national lockdown which began on 5 January.

Baroness Berridge: Any education setting which provides full-time provision to 5 or more pupils of compulsory school age (or one or more pupils of compulsory school age who is looked after or has an education, health, and care plan) is required to register with the Department for Education as a school. It is a criminal offence to conduct an independent school that is not registered. For this reason the Department for Education has not made an estimate of unregistered schools operating through the current lockdown.The Department for Education and Ofsted are continuing to investigate any settings where intelligence or evidence suggest the operation of an unregistered school.All settings, whether registered or unregistered, must also comply with relevant regulations relating to COVID-19. Failure to do so will be a breach of legislation and poses a risk to public health.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners' Release: Temporary Accommodation

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the recent announcement to provide temporary basic accommodation to support prison leavers at risk of homelessness in five National Probation Service regions will include (1) women-only accommodation, and (2) provisions for specific support for vulnerable women with complex needs.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: To reduce reoffending and provide health and wellbeing support, we are launching a new accommodation service, providing up to 12 weeks of basic temporary accommodation for prison leavers who would otherwise be homeless. This will complement the service being delivered through the new unified probation model. Women-only accommodation provision will be made available, as required. More generally, the service will take account of the needs of women, including those with complex needs. This Government is clear that getting prison leavers into stable accommodation provides the platform they need to find work and access treatment for addictions and mental health problems, which reduce the risk of reoffending. Tackling all three issues together in this way – accommodation, work and treatment – could prevent thousands of people becoming victims each year and save some of the £18 billion annual cost of repeat crimes.

Berwyn Prison: Welsh Language

Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by Independent Monitoring Board, Annual Report of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Berwyn, published on 17 September 2020, what assessment they have made of complaints that prisoners have been threatened with sanctions for speaking Welsh; and what steps are they taking following those complaints.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: No sanctions or warnings have been issued at HMP Berwyn for use of the Welsh Language since the prison opened in 2017. There has been one instance where a prisoner was improperly challenged for speaking Welsh in 2019; the matter was investigated, and the member of staff corrected before they issued a behaviour warning to the prisoner. No further complaints of this nature have been reported. HMP Berwyn is committed to supporting its prisoners, which includes meeting the expectations of the Welsh Language Commissioner and helping encourage the speaking of Welsh at the prison. Every prison in Wales, including HMP Berwyn, has a Welsh Language Action plan. HMP Berwyn has a dedicated Welsh Language Lead who provides updates to the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, chaired by the Governor.

Prisoners: Self-harm

Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reportSafety in Custody Statistics, England and Wales: Deaths in Prison Custody to December 2020 Assaults and Self-harm to September 2020, published on 28 January, what steps they are taking to address the reported increase in self-harm in the female prison estate in England and Wales.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: We recognise that the level of self-harm in the women’s estate is too high and are determined to reduce this. A Women’s Self-Harm Task Force was set up in April 2020 in response to our increasing concerns about the level of self-harm in the Women’s estate. We know that many of the drivers (risks and triggers) and protective factors linked to women’s risk of self-harm in prisons have been adversely affected by Covid-19 and the restricted regimes that have been put in place to control the spread of infection. The Task Force has led work to introduce a number of specific interventions to counteract the impact of Covid-19 on self-harm in the Women’s estate. This work has seen the introduction of bespoke well-being checks, increased credit to enable phone calls and increased access to Purple Visits (video calls with family and friends). We have prioritised the roll out of the revised version of the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) multi-disciplinary case management system used in prisons to support people at risk of suicide and self-harm. We will also be implementing the Offender Management in Custody model in the female estate in April 2021. This will provide each woman in the female estate with a dedicated key worker who will be able to better support them and identify concerns at an early stage so that women can receive the right support at the right time. We have also produced a range of products to support Governors in devising and implementing local safety and welfare plans designed to mitigate risks and promote wellbeing. We have developed new guidance for staff on understanding and supporting someone who is self-harming. We continue to make the Samaritans phone service available and are working with the Samaritans to ensure that the Listener peer support scheme continues to function effectively wherever possible. We have also invested £5m in alternatives to prison, including new women’s centres which help people address issues such as alcohol or drug addiction which leads them to crime.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Corporal Punishment: Females

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they haveraised thecaning of women forbreaking dress codeswith the governments of (1) Sudan, (2) Saudi Arabia, and (3) Iran; and, if so, what responses they have received from those governments.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Respect for human rights and democratic freedoms underpins the UK's foreign policy. Our Annual Human Rights Report sets out in detail the UK's approach to human rights priority countries, and the work we have undertaken to promote and protect human rights around world. The UK Government has designated 30 countries as Human Rights Priority Countries, these include Sudan, Iran and Saudi Arabia.UK Ministers and officials consistently raise a range of human rights issues with their counterparts. The UK welcomes the steps taken by the transitional Government of Sudan in this area, including the repeal of the public order law in 2019, removing corporal punishment for the violation of dress codes.

Atallah Mohammad Rayan

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that the Israel Defence Force(1) denied medical aid to Atallah Mohammad Rayan after he was shot by soldiers, and (2) raided hisfamily home.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have not raised this case with the Government of Israel. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the importance of the Israel security force's adherence to the principles of necessity and proportionality when defending its legitimate security interest. In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we have advocated swift, transparent investigations. They also raise access to healthcare with the Israeli authorities. The long-lasting movement restrictions and the serious constraints imposed by the occupation can impact the provision of medical care. The wounded and critically ill should be able to access the urgent medical care they need.

Palestinians: Health Services

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the Palestinian Authority's Minister of Health on 26 Januaryrequesting the intervention of international human rights organisations to stop the demolition of a health clinic in Zanouta.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK regularly raises demolitions with the Government of Israel. The Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa raised his concerns about demolitions of Palestinian and humanitarian structures, including healthcare centres, with the Israeli Ambassador on 29 October 2020. UK officials from the British Consulate in Jerusalem have made regular visits to areas at risk of demolition and eviction to reiterate UK support for those communities. The UK also urged the Government of Israel to end demolitions of property in the West Bank at the UN Security council on 26 January 2021. The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. The practice causes unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians and is harmful to the peace process.

G7: Cornwall

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what gender policies they plan to take forward as part of the foreign and development trackat the G7.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Gender Equality will be central to our G7 Presidency and will be reflected across multiple strands of G7 work. Within the Foreign and Development track, we aim to secure G7 agreement on ambitious new access and learning targets for girls' education, as well as G7 policy and financial commitments, including a successful replenishment of the Global Partnership for Education. The track will also seek to strengthen the G7's commitment to women's political and economic empowerment and to ending violence against women and girls.

Mauritius: Sovereignty

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the judgment by the Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea on 28 January concerning the delimitation of maritime boundary between Mauritius and Maldives, which found that the Advisory Opinion was determinative of Mauritian sovereignty, what steps they are taking to comply with (1) the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, published on 25 February 2019 and (2) the UN General Assembly Resolution 73/295 from 22 May 2019.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The United Kingdom is aware of the judgment delivered on 28 January by the Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) formed to deal with the dispute concerning delimitation of a maritime boundary claimed by Mauritius to exist between Mauritius and Maldives in the Indian Ocean (Mauritius/Maldives). The UK is not a party to these proceedings, which can have no effect for the UK or for maritime delimitation between the UK (in respect of the British Indian Ocean Territory) and the Republic of the Maldives.The UK Government respects the International Court of Justice and has considered the content of the Advisory Opinion carefully, but does not share the Court's approach. An Advisory Opinion is not a legally binding judgment, it is advice provided to the UN General Assembly at its request. The UN General Assembly resolution is also non-binding.

Cambodia: Human Rights

Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking tosupport democracy and human rights in Cambodia in view of the treason charges brought against 121 members of the Cambodia National Rescue Party for treason.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is concerned about the trajectory of democracy in Cambodia. The UK plays a vocal role in the promotion of democracy. We raise concerns about democratic space and other human rights issues with the Cambodian authorities. The British Embassy in Phnom Penh has and will continue to meet with members of the Cambodian opposition and representatives from the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) to hear their concerns. Embassy staff have attended court hearings, including of some of the 121 CNRP members, and will continue to do so in partnership with like-minded foreign missions.The UK also uses multinational fora to raise concerns. At sessions of the UN Human Rights Council in June 2020, the UK publically urged the Cambodian authorities to lift restrictions on political debate and to create the conditions for a proper functioning democracy. We also voiced concern regarding the repeated arrests and intimidation of those seeking to be part of a public discourse about the future of Cambodia.

Gaza: Overseas Aid

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the health situation in Gaza; and how much financial assistancethey intend to provide tothat region to meet any health-related need.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK remains concerned about the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza and the impact of COVID-19 on an already fragile healthcare system. We are pleased that the OPTs will be among the first to benefit from the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) - the international initiative to support global equitable access to vaccines, with delivery of a first batch of more than 37,000 doses of the of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine anticipated in mid-February.The UK was one of the first donors to provide funding to support the health and humanitarian response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the OPTs. We have provided £1.25m funding (WHO with £630,000 and UNICEF with £620,000) to purchase and co-ordinate delivery of medical equipment, treat critical care patients, train frontline health workers and scale up laboratory testing capacity - mainly in Gaza. The FCDO is currently running a prioritisation exercise across all its programmes, to ensure that every pound we spend goes as far as possible. The Foreign Secretary will communicate the outcome shortly.

United Nations

Lord Balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the UN’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) the decision by the UN to designate 2021 as the International year of Fruits and Vegetables.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UN has responded to the COVID-19 crisis across three pillars: responding to the health crisis, safeguarding lives and livelihoods, and building back better. The UN has adapted and enhanced their programmes across each of these pillars, including their 'Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan' and 'Global Humanitarian Response Plan', which promote a coordinated UN response. UK investment and relationships with the UN - with an additional £145 million to UN appeals including £75 million to the WHO - have galvanised a stronger global response. The UN will continue to be a key ally in our efforts to build back better.The 194 members of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation agreed to propose 2021 as the International Year of Fruit and Vegetables in July 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Our assessment is that it will help to raise the importance of fruit and vegetables for a healthy diet.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations: Human Rights

Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to promote human rights and democracy in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries, and (2) to provide support for the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights and the further application of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a leading voice in upholding and defending human rights and democracy. We value our relationship with all ASEAN's Member States, who are committed to rule of law, good governance, and the principles of democracy and constitutional government, through the ASEAN Charter. Where we have concerns we raise these bilaterally, through our regular ministerial and official engagement with host governments, and multilaterally, including through UN Human Rights Council statements and the Universal Periodic Review process. The UK does not currently provide support for the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.

Iraq: Politics and Government

Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the government of Iraq in (1) establishing its authority in that country, and (2) reducing the influence of other governments.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to preserving the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq and is supporting the Government of Iraq to achieve this. We continue to provide technical and military assistance to Iraq, equipping the government to counter threats from Daesh and other destabilising influences from within the country and the wider region.We regularly engage with the Government of Iraq and the international community on Iraq's security challenges and regional tensions. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary met Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in London on 22 October and pledged the UK's continuing support for the Iraqi government. Minister Cleverly reiterated the UK Government's commitment to Iraq's sovereignty, security and economic stability when he visited Iraq in November.

Genocide

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it remains their policy that the determination of genocide is a matter for international judicial systems.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Genocide is an international crime with a strict legal meaning. It is the policy of the UK Government that any judgment on whether genocide has occurred is a matter for competent courts, rather than for governments or other nonjudicial bodies. Competent courts include international courts, such as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, and national criminal courts that meet international standards of due process.

China and Hong Kong: British National (Overseas)

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) practical, and (2) political, implications of the announcement that the governments of China and Hong Kong will not recognise British National (Overseas) passports as valid travel documents.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are disappointed but not surprised by the Chinese decision not to recognise British National (Overseas) passports. However, whatever obstacles China puts in the way of BN(O)s leaving Hong Kong, we will do all we can to enable them to come to live, work and study in the UK. BN(O)s and their families will be able to use documentation other than BN(O) passports to take up this visa. We look forward to welcoming those who wish to settle here.

China: Foreign Relations

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theWritten Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 22 January (HL11916), and reports of (1) hostile espionage, (2) threats to Taiwan, and (3) the persecution of Uighurs in Xinjiang, by the government of China, why the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office continues to refer to that government as a strategic partner.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Our approach to China remains clear-eyed and rooted in our values and our interests. As two global leaders with permanent seats on the UN Security Council, it is right for the UK and China to pursue a strong and constructive relationship in many areas. This does not mean that we hesitate to raise concerns and intervene where needed. This resolve was highlighted by the Foreign Secretary's announcement of new, targeted measures in respect of Xinjiang on 12 January. While we continue to engage, we will always protect our national interests and hold China to its international commitments and promises.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israelabout reports that Palestinians have been attacked in response to the killing of an Israeli citizen by the Israeli police on 21 December 2020 in the West Bank.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are not aware of these reports. The UK condemns any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Afghanistan: Homicide

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publicly condemn the killing of the two women Afghan Supreme Court judges in Kabul.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government made strong public condemnations of the killings of the two female Afghan judges, Qadria Yasini and Zakia Herawi, in Kabul. On 17 January, the day of the killings, the Foreign Secretary, our Ambassador in Kabul and I released statements on social media condemning the attack and pressed for an urgent, transparent investigation. I spoke to Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar the following day, during which I expressed my condolences to the people of Afghanistan and reiterated the UK's support for peace. The Government is extremely concerned about the increase in violence and targeted attacks in Afghanistan, particularly against human rights defenders. Joint statements were also released from European Human Rights Ambassadors on 21 January and from our Embassy in Kabul with other international partners' missions on 31 January calling for justice and the immediate end of these attacks.

Yemen: Oxfam

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensurethat those responsible for attacks on Oxfam infrastructure in Yemen are held to account; and what plans they have to publish anyinformation they have gathered about such attacks.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is acutely aware of the risks of delivering lifesaving assistance in the midst of Yemen's conflict. We closely monitor incidents of attacks on humanitarian operations, and we urge all parties to take steps to ensure humanitarian aid and those delivering it are protected.

Israel: Nuclear Weapons

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israelabout (1) whether that country possesses nuclear weapons, and (2) any plans by that government to declare any such possession.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Israel has not declared a nuclear weapons programme. The UK Government has called on Israel to join the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear weapon state and to upgrade its arrangement to a full scope Comprehensive Safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Palestinians: Housing

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they planto the government of Israelabout reports that a Civil Administration official threatened Palestinians with expulsion from their homes if they invited (1) journalists, or (2) activists, to witness attacks on them by Israeli settlers.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regularly make clear our concerns about the evictions of Palestinians from their homes in the West Bank to the Israeli authorities, both bilaterally and in co-operation with like-minded diplomatic partners. We regularly visit communities facing eviction from their homes. The Fourth Geneva Convention, which applies to all occupied territories, prohibits demolitions or forced evictions absent military necessity. We also continue to reiterate the importance of freedom of speech to the Israeli Government.

Yemen: Humanitarian Aid

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensurethat (1) food, and (2) medical, importers can continue to bring supplies into Yemen following the government of the United States' designation of the Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organisation.

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK non-governmental organisations can continue to operate in Yemen following the government of the United States' designation of the Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organisation.

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK businesses can trade with Yemen following the government of the United States' designation of the Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organisation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We share the concerns raised by the UN and NGOs about the impact of designation on what is already the world's worst humanitarian crisis. We are analysing the US humanitarian and commercial exemptions and are concerned that they are insufficient to avoid a serious deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen.We are engaging with the US to ensure that the vital humanitarian response, including food supplies, is not disrupted. Ministers and officials will also continue to engage closely with the UN and other donors including the US, to ensure life-saving humanitarian aid reaches the millions of Yemenis in need. Our priority is to support the UN's peace process and ensure life-saving humanitarian aid can reach the millions of Yemenis in need.

China and Hong Kong: British National (Overseas)

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision by the governments of Hong Kong and China not to continue to recognise British National (Overseas) passports as valid travel documents.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are disappointed but not surprised by the Chinese decision not to recognise British National (Overseas) passports. However, whatever obstacles China puts in the way of BN(O)s leaving Hong Kong, we will do all we can to enable them to come to live, work and study in the UK. BN(O)s and their families will be able to use documentation other than BN(O) passports to take up this visa. We look forward to welcoming those who wish to settle here.

Hala Mash'hour Qutt

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about (1) reports thatHala Mash'hour Qutt was injured during (a) attacks on her family home, and (b) an attempted kidnap, by Israeli settlers; and (2) the steps being taken by that government (i) to investigate, and (ii) to charge, anyone involved inperpetratingany such attacks.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Whilst we have not made representations on these reports, the UK condemns violence by settlers against Palestinians. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. We urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance of settler violence and bring those responsible to justice.

Diplomatic Service: Staff

Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) UK national, and (2) locally engaged, staff were employed in the British embassies in (a) Slovenia, (b) Croatia, (c) Bosnia-Herzegovina, (d) Serbia, (e) Montenegro, (f) North Macedonia, (g) Kosovo, and (h) Albania, in the (i) 2015/16, (ii) 2016/17, (iii) 2017/18, (iv) 2018/19, (v) 2019/20, and (vi) 2020/21, financial years.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As at 31 March 2020, the FCDO UK based headcount band for each Embassy requested is set out in the table below. (i) 31st March 2016(ii) 31st March 2017(iii) 31st March 2018(iv) 31st March 2019(v) 31st March 202031st December 2020Country and Embassy (PQ HL12645)FCDO UKB staff- BandFCDO CBS- BandFCDO UKB staff- BandFCDO CBS- BandFCDO UKB staff- BandFCDO CBS- BandFCDO UKB staff- BandFCDO CBS- BandFCDO UKB staff- BandFCDO CBS- BandFCDO UKB staff- BandFCDO CBS- Banda) Sloveniafewer than 1010-19fewer than 10fewer than 10fewer than 10fewer than 10fewer than 1010-19fewer than 1010-19fewer than 1010-19b) Croatiafewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29c) Bosnia and Herzegovinafewer than 1020-29fewer than 1010-19fewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29d) Serbiafewer than 1050-59fewer than 1050-5910-1950-5910-1950-5910-1950-5910-1950-59e) Montenegrofewer than 1010-19fewer than 1010-19fewer than 1010-19fewer than 1010-19fewer than 1010-19fewer than 1010-19f) North Macedoniafewer than 1020-29fewer than 1010-19fewer than 1010-19fewer than 1010-19fewer than 1010-19fewer than 1010-19g) Kosovofewer than 1030-39fewer than 1030-39fewer than 1030-39fewer than 1030-39fewer than 1030-39fewer than 1030-39h) Albaniafewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29fewer than 1020-29UKB – UK Based StaffCBS – Country Based Staff

Remittances: Coronavirus

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in increasing the number of countries giving their support to the Call to Action 'Remittances in Crisis: How to Keep them Flowing', co-launched with Switzerland in May 2020; which countries now support the Call; and what progress has been made to counteract the decrease in remittances due to the impact of COVID-19.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have worked together with other Call to Action partners (Switzerland, World Bank etc) to reach out to countries and institutions to join. To date, an additional 28 countries, eight International Organisations, four industry bodies, and five donors / charities have joined. Some other countries have been unable to join but have taken actions to reduce the barriers limiting the flow of remittances on the back of the Call to Action.The 28 countries that have joined the Call to Action are: Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Yemen, Jordan, Georgia, New Zealand, Niger, Panama, Rwanda, Vanuatu, Cote d'Ivoire, Fiji. Turkey, Honduras, Australia, Guatemala, Eritrea, Tonga, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Cambodia.Positive steps have been taken by over 44 countries to counteract the decrease in remittances due to the impact of COVID - for example, actions targeted at improving access to remittances and financial services, expanding Healthcare and Social Safety Nets, and supporting food security. We also saw several companies respond by waiving their transfer fees.In the UK, we amended the Health Protection Regulations to include money transfer organisations as essential service providers, ensuring that they were able to continue operating during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Agriculture: Wales

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money they estimate was provided by the European Economic Community to support agriculture in Wales in 1991; and how much such money was provided by the EU in (1) 2000, (2) 2010, and (3) 2019.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The following estimated amounts to support agriculture were paid by the Welsh Office Agriculture Department / Welsh Government under Common Agricultural Policy schemes in the years shown: - 1991 £42.757 million;- 2000 £175.620 million;- 2010 £321.185 million;- 2019 £318.311 million. The above figures exclude market measures paid for the whole of the UK by the Intervention Board / Rural Payments Agency.

Environmental Land Management Scheme

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish further details of the National Pilot for Environmental Land Management Schemes for farm support.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: We will be publishing more information about how we will be piloting the new environment schemes in spring 2021. Around that time, we will be inviting expressions of interest from farmers who want to take part in the first phase of piloting covering the Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme. Following that call for interest, around 1,000 farmers will be invited to join piloting in early summer.

Agriculture : Research

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional funds are being allocated for agricultural research and development; and how applications for such funds will be administered.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: As part of green growth, the Government is committed to investing in research and development to unlock innovation and drive up agricultural productivity, whilst enhancing the environment and helping the sector achieve net zero carbon emissions.As highlighted in the recently published Agricultural Transition Plan, we will build on previous R&D funding, such as the £160m 2013 Agri-tech Strategy and the £90m Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund 'Transforming Food Production' initiative, to provide additional investment. This will be administered through a new R&D funding package for England as part of proposed productivity measures to stimulate innovation and boost sustainable productivity in agriculture.Application guidance will be published prior to scheme launch, including a summary of application deadlines, funding criteria, timetable and themes. Competitions are expected to open in early 2022, with communication to farmers and growers in advance, and projects are expected to begin later that year.

Customs: Northern Ireland

The Duke of Montrose: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a facility in Northern Ireland which will be able to carry out the batch testing and certification by a qualified person of packs of medicines being traded from Great Britain to Northern Ireland from 1 January 2022; and if so, whether any such facility will have (1) responsibility for, and (2) capacity to, process such certification for veterinary medicines.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) can confirm that there are currently facilities in Northern Ireland authorised to carry out veterinary medicines quality control (QC) batch testing and batch release/certification. These facilities will remain authorised to conduct these activities from 2022. We are currently working with industry and other government departments to establish the capacity and capability in NI to meet the requirement for batch testing and certification by a Qualified Person from 1 January 2022.

National Parks: Finance

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to announce the 2021Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairsbudget allocations for national parks.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government announced some £75m of funding to National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty as part of the 2020 Spending Review. Defra is currently finalising its business planning for 2021/22 and will inform national parks of their individual budget allocations shortly.

Customs: Kent

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 29 January (HL 12331), whether the Department for Transport has provided a demonstration of need for an Inland Border Facility at Dover; and whether any alternative sites have been considered.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Further to the Written Answer provided by Lord Greenhalgh on 29 January, I can confirm that the Department for Transport (DfT) is progressing plans for the White Cliffs Inland Border Facility. The site will act as a location for starting and ending the transit of goods to and from the UK for Department of Environmental, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Several other sites were considered but White Cliffs was the only one that met the requirements of my department and HMRC. Official Controls Regulations state that inbound consignments requiring Sanitary and Phytosanitary checks must be carried out at a Border Control Post (BCP) located either at the port or point of entry, or at the nearest site suitable for the provision of all infrastructure and facilities required to comply with the official controls regulations governing BCP functions for the commodities to be controlled there. White Cliffs Inland Border Facility will include a BCP to support the Port of Dover where inbound consignments to the UK may be inspected in a bio secure facility, such as plants, animals and products of animal and plant origin (e.g. food). It will include parking areas for Heavy Goods Vehicles, while waiting to be processed, and other vehicles as well as security measures and facilities to enable the checking of vehicles and goods entering and exiting the site. DfT’s proposed use of the site will require approval, which is being sought by the Government under the requirements of a Special Development Order (SDO). The White Cliffs Inland Border Facility proposals are planned for temporary use and are designed to ensure that there are no significant or long-term environmental effects. DfT does not expect to use this site as a temporary lorry holding facility. DfT, alongside other Government departments, has undertaken a review of options for the use and layout of the site and based on current planning, expect the site to be needed for up to five years. The terms of the SDO require the development to end by December 2025 and reinstatement works to be completed by December 2026. Government recognises the importance of engagement and we will continue to engage with the community and relevant stakeholders throughout the process to ensure transparency. Details can be found on the Inland Border Facilities website at: https://inlandborderfacilities.uk

Peat Bogs: Statutory Instruments

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the statutory instrument to protect peatlands will be laid before Parliament; and whether it will be subject to the affirmativeprocedure.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We intend to lay the relevant statutory instrument as soon as parliamentary time allows. It will be subject to the negative procedure.

Musical Instruments: Customs

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to charge musicians applying for a CITES Musical Instrument Certificate for musical instruments containing Ivory, Rosewood, Abalone, and other endangered species when transported between (1) the UK and the EU, and (2) Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and if so, how much this will cost musicians.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: No decision has yet been made on the application of fees for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Musical Instrument Certificates for musical instruments containing Ivory, Rosewood, Abalone, and other endangered species. Any changes to the fee structure are likely to come into force in 2022, and there will be an opportunity for stakeholders to engage in a consultation before the changes take place. The fees for processing applications for all types of CITES permits and certificates are kept under regular review. The current review will consider the possible inclusion of a fee for Musical Instrument Certificates, to bring them in line with other CITES permits.

Ports: Northern Ireland

Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much Government funding has been spent in the current financial year on physical infrastructure at sea ports in Northern Ireland.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: A total of £16m is on track to be spent by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland on infrastructure, IT systems and personnel to the end of the current financial year for the work necessary to carry out the required sanitary and phytosanitary checks at Northern Ireland’s Points of Entry.

Designated Landscapes Review

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their reportLandscapes Review, published in September 2019, what plans they have to introduce a National Landscape Service.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The independent Landscapes Review, led by Julian Glover, set out a compelling vision for more beautiful, more biodiverse and more accessible National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We welcome this ambition, as the Government is committed to ensuring our protected landscapes flourish as havens for nature and are places that everyone can visit and enjoy. The Landscapes Review included recommendations for long-term structural changes, such as creating a new National Landscape Service and changing National Park and AONB statutory purposes, that would require legislation were they to be taken forward. We are taking time to consider carefully the recommendations and working with partner organisations to inform and develop our response to the review, which we will publish in due course.

Home Office

Criminal Records: EU Nationals

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all historic dataof criminal convictionsin the UK affected by the technical issues with the Police National Computer, reported in January, have now been passed to relevant EU member states; and if not, why not.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK’s Criminal Records Office (ACRO) has worked closely with technical teams in the Home Office who manage the Police National Computer (PNC) to implement a technical fix to ensure the data is shared with affected Member States. Each affected Member State was informed when the historic data held on the PNC became available. ACRO has now sent the majority of those notifications to Member States.’ The latest issue on PNC deletions does not affect our transmission of data to the EU.

Hassockfield Secure Training Centre

Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish theirplans relating to theformer Hassockfield Young Offenders Centre in Medomsley.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The immigration removal estate is kept under ongoing review to ensure that the Home Office has sufficient capacity, in the right places and that it provides value for money.The Home Office has acquired the former Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham and will open it as an immigration removal centre by the Autumn. Initial discussions with the planning authority have taken place and work will commence at the site shortly.In order to meet operational needs and demands, we will continue to operate the immigration removal estate, in a flexible manner.

Refugees: Families

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on2 February (HL12281), whether they publicise the availability of Family Reunion Visas in (1) Europe, (2) the Middle East, and (3) North Africa; and if so,whether they advertise such availability (a) at embassies, (b) through the UNHCR, or (c) through other organisations.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: UKVI do not publicise visa services outside of GOV.UK, although it may raise awareness of specific routes via stakeholders and partners. Those who are granted asylum and humanitarian protection are informed of the Family Reunion visa.All information on visa routes to the UK, including Family Reunion, are available on GOV.UK. Customers are able to check what visa type they may be eligible for and access guidance on applying.

Immigration: EEA Nationals and EU Nationals

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) EU, and (2) EEA, citizens with settled status have been denied citizenship because they did not have Comprehensive Sickness Insurance during their qualifying period of residence.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We are not aware of any applications for British Citizenship being refused purely based on the requirement for Comprehensive Sickness Insurance under EEA Regulations.Holding Comprehensive Sickness Insurance is not a mandatory requirement for the award of British citizenship or for being awarded Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

Entertainers: Visas

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to extend the Permitted Paid Engagement route from 30 days to 90 days (1) to allow for longer opera seasons and tours and (2) to form the basis of a reciprocal arrangement with the EU.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Permitted Paid Engagement visitor route currently allows professionals in several sectors to enter the UK for up to one month to undertake permitted paid engagements, where they have been invited by a UK-based organisation and without the need to apply through the sponsored work routes. In line with our commitment to a global points based system eligibility for it does not vary based on nationality.Non-visa nationals can apply for entry under this route at the border. Visa nationals must apply for entry clearance under this route before travel. The requirements of the Immigration Rules are otherwise the same for both cohorts.Those wishing to undertake longer tours in the UK can make use of the T5 Creative concession, which allows non-visa nationals to enter the UK for up to three months without an entry clearance if they have a Certificate of Sponsorship. For visa nationals, or those wishing to remain in the UK for up to 12 months, the T5 Creative route is also available.We will continue to keep our policy under close review, including through wide engagement and dialogue with stakeholders from a range of sectors.

Construction: Migrant Workers

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, (1) to review the immigration criteria for construction industry specialists, and (2) to amend the shortage occupation list to include (a) bricklayers, (b) plasterers, (c) plumbers, (d) carpenters, and (e) quantity surveyors.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Given the wider economic impact of the global pandemic and the number of UK based workers facing uncertainty about their employment or the need to find a new job at this time, the Government believes it is right our global points-based systems encourages employers to look to domestic recruitment and skills training in the first instance, rather than immigration,In March 2020, the Government commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to advise on the composition of the Shortage Occupation Lists (SOL) in light of the expanded skills threshold of the new Skilled Worker route, which came into effect on 1 December.The MAC published its findings and recommendations on 29 September. The Government welcomed the MAC’s comprehensive advice, which included a recommendation to add bricklayers and masons; however, we do not consider changes to the immigration rules or the SOLs should be made at this time, before assessing how the UK labour market develops post-Covid 19 and in response to the introduction of the new Points-Based Immigration System. Immigration policy should be considered alongside the strategies for the UK Labour Market not in isolation to them.As published on 22 October, the Immigration Rules for the new Points-Based Immigration System include an Appendix Shortage Occupation Lists. This replaces the existing lists under Appendix K. The contents are the same.

Asylum: Napier Barracks

The Lord Bishop of London: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the outbreak of COVID-19 at Napier Barracks, what plans they have to end the use of such barracks as asylum accommodation; and if they have no such plans,what steps they intend to taketo ensure (1) thatsocial distancing measures are adhered to, and (2) that the dignity and freedom of residents isupheld.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, we have taken decisive action to ensure that those seeking asylum in the United Kingdom have the support they need.Given the unique challenges over recent months, it has been necessary to use contingency accommodation, such as former military barracks, to ensure there is always sufficient capacity to deliver our statutory obligations to destitute asylum seekers.These sites have accommodated soldiers and army personnel in the past and are safe, secure and suitable accommodation, in which asylum seekers receive three meals a day, all paid for by the taxpayer.Despite our best efforts and the robust measures in place at our sites, a number of asylum seekers accommodated at Napier recently tested positive for coronavirus.It was also incredibly disappointing that a number of individuals refused coronavirus tests and had refused to self-isolate or follow social distancing rules, despite repeated requests to do so.In line with advice from Public Health England, over the last week the Home Office moved a number asylum seekers out of the site. The purpose of this move was to allow others at Napier to self-isolate more easily and facilitate a deep clean of the site.A wide range of measures have been implemented to ensure guidance on social distancing and self-isolation are properly applied and we have worked closely with public health authorities throughout the pandemic to inform a national approach.We take the wellbeing, dignity and freedom of those we support extremely seriously. Asylum seekers are not detained and are free to come and go from their accommodation, in line with coronavirus restrictions.We continue to explore further options to ensure that we continue meet our statutory obligations to support and accommodate destitute asylum seekers at all times.

Refugees: Penally Camp

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the living conditions for refugees being housed at the former army barracks at Penally.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the asylum system has faced significant pressures and it has become necessary to use additional temporary accommodation to ensure the Home Office can continue to meet all of its statutory obligations.Penally Training Camp is temporary, contingency accommodation whilst we continue to address the issues putting pressure on the asylum system. The site was previously used by our armed forces and provides safe, suitable and warm accommodation in line with existing contractual requirements for asylum accommodation.Most recently we asked an independent health and safety consultancy, Human Applications to carry out a rapid review of a number of asylum accommodation sites including Penally. The Home Office is reviewing the recommendations of the review and will seek to publish a summary of the recommendations. We will also hold round tables with stakeholders to discuss the recommendations, actions taken and proposed next steps.We continue to work closely with our provider and partners to identify opportunities for enhancement, as we do across our entire accommodation estate.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Customs: Kent

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Greenhalghon 29 January (HL 12331), whether theyhave (1) consulted with local residents and others affected by any new Inland Border Facility at Dover, and (2) they have published any application documents.

Lord Greenhalgh: My Department has not received any submission seeking the Secretary of State’s approval to the development and use of a specific site in Dover as an Inland Border Facility.Substantive engagement is a requirement on the relevant border department ahead of seeking approval for any site-specific proposal from my Department.I understand that the Government’s border facing departments have provided a website with information on the Government’s plans for delivering inland border facilities. The website can be found at: https://inlandborderfacilities.uk/As my Ministerial colleague will be taking decisions on any site-specific proposals it is not appropriate for me to comment on sites that are or may be the subject of a proposal; we will take decisions without pre-determination and on the basis of the evidence and advice in front of us.

Customs: Kent

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 29 January (HL12331), whether theyhave set out the environmental effects of developing an Inland Border Facility at Dover; and whether they have sought separate approvals for (1) a Construction Management Plan, (2) an Operational Management Plan, and (3) a Reinstatement Plan.

Lord Greenhalgh: My Department has not received any submission seeking the Secretary of State’s approval to the development and use of a specific site in Dover as an Inland Border Facility.For my Department to consider any such request the Special Development Order approved by Parliament requires an evidenced proposal for consideration. This must include an analysis of the likely environmental effects of the development.No plans for the construction, operation or reinstatement of an Inland Border Facility in Dover are with my Department.As my Ministerial colleague will be taking decisions on any site-specific proposals it is not appropriate for me to comment on sites that are or may be the subject of a proposal; we will take decisions without pre-determination and on the basis of the evidence and advice in front of us.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the National Federation of Gypsy Liaison GroupsMoving for Change: local authority approaches to roadside camps in a time of COVID-19, published on 4 February,in particular its findingthatthere was a 333per cent increase in evictions from roadside camps in the 45 days following the Government guidance issued on 10 May 2020 to "stay alert"; what steps they are taking to ensure that local authorities are protecting Gypsies, Travellers, Roma and others at risk of roadside eviction during the COVID-19 pandemic; and what discussions they intend to have with local authorities about the use ofnegotiated settlements in place of evictions of such groups.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is supporting people across the country respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, including those in the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.I have met with the National Federation of Gypsy Liaison Groups to discuss the impact of the pandemic and the Government has provided guidance to all local authority Chief Executives about the support some Gypsy and Traveller families may need during the national restrictions to find a safe place to stop and access basic amenities, including water, sanitation and waste disposal facilities.Whilst it is for local authorities to determine how best to support vulnerable groups, in line with their public health responsibilities, the Government will continue to work closely with them to ensure that Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities’ needs are met.

Treasury

Housing: VAT

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on carbon emissions of charging VAT on the repair and maintenance of residential properties; and what plans they have to ensure that the VAT treatment of (1) constructing new build, and (2) repairing and maintaining existing, residential property is aligned.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government currently maintains a zero-rate of VAT on the construction of new build residential properties. This is to provide a lower burden of tax for purchasers of new homes. The supply of existing homes is exempt from VAT for the same reason. Renovation and conversion costs are also eligible for a reduced rate of VAT, providing conditions are met. While all taxes are kept under review, the Government has no plans to review the VAT treatment of housebuilding and repair at this time.

Stock Market: Regulation

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review regulations relatig to short selling to ensure that any such regulations are fit for purpose.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The government works closely with the regulators and market participants to monitor the effectiveness of the regulatory regime, in line with the government’s objectives of supporting economic growth and financial stability. The UK’s Short Selling Regime, introduced in 2012, regulates short selling practices while safeguarding companies and the financial system. Among other things, it requires persons to report their short positions in companies whose shares are admitted to trading on UK trading venues, and provides the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with powers to request information from persons on their short selling activities, to apply penalties to persons who do not meet their regulatory obligations under the short selling regime, and to restrict the short selling of certain instruments in certain circumstances. In particular, the FCA can temporarily restrict short selling when the price of an instrument has fallen significantly during a single trading day in relation to the closing price of that instrument on the previous trading day, and can restrict short selling for a period of up to three months when there are adverse events or developments which are a serious threat to financial stability or to market confidence in the UK. It is the Government’s position that this regime is working as intended, providing the necessary safeguards to allow the operation of a fair and effective market. Therefore, we see no need to conduct a full review of this legislation at this time.

VAT: UK Trade with EU

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they plan to give to small businesses about any new VATarrangements which have been put in place since the UK's departure from the EU.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government has provided extensive guidance for the VAT treatment of cross-border goods following the end of the transition period and is committed to supporting businesses to enable them to continue to trade.

Self-employed: Coronavirus

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to support the self-employed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) has supported the livelihoods of millions of self-employed people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, the three grants already provided through the scheme have provided up to £21,570 of support for each claimant, placing the SEISS among the most generous schemes for the self-employed in the world. There will also be a fourth grant covering February to April 2021. Further details on the SEISS, including the fourth grant, will be announced on 3 March.The SEISS continues to be just one element of a substantial package of support for the self-employed. People who are ineligible for the SEISS may still be eligible for other elements of the support available. The Universal Credit standard allowance has been temporarily increased for 2020-21 and the Minimum Income Floor relaxed for the duration of the crisis, so that where self-employed claimants' earnings have fallen significantly, their Universal Credit award will have increased to reflect their lower earnings. In addition to this, they may also have access to other elements of the package, including Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments and other business support grants.

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey havemade of the potential financial benefit of increasing alcohol duty to reduce the cost of alcohol-related illness and harms to the NHS.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: All taxes are kept under review and the impact of a change to alcohol duty is considered at each fiscal event, including its effect on health.

Regional Planning and Development: Public Bodies

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with public authorities about their levelling up agenda.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Government Ministers and officials regularly meet with a wide range of local government stakeholders, including through MHCLG’s M9 Mayoral Group roundtables, and regional stocktakes. In addition to these and other engagement forums, the government draws regularly on views from across stakeholders, such as through the formal representation process around fiscal events, such as the recent Spending Review and upcoming Spring Budget.

Financial Markets

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey, or any regulators, have reviewed the adequacy of the capitalisation of securities and derivative clearing houses since the introduction of restrictions on dealings in GameStop and AMC Entertainment; and what assessment they have made of the robustness of resolution plans for clearing houses

Lord Agnew of Oulton: GameStop and AMC Entertainment are companies that are listed in the US and therefore fall within the remit of the relevant US regulators. More broadly, however, the UK has a robust oversight and resolution regime in place for UK clearing houses (“CCPs”). The Government is committed to ensuring the highest regulatory standards for CCP oversight and resolution and keeps the regulatory framework under regular review.Any restriction in the trading of specific UK shares would not itself have a detrimental effect on a UK CCP’s resources, as it would only mean less transactions cleared through the CCP. However, if a clearing firm was unable to meet existing obligations to a UK CCP, the CCPs require their members to provide pre-funded resources to mitigate against this risk. Firstly, UK CCPs require clients to post collateral to help cover their trades if they should default on their obligations. CCPs then also require their clients to contribute to a mutualised pool of resources, to be used in the event the collateral provided by a defaulter is insufficient. This pool should, at a minimum, cover the default of the CCP’s two largest clients simultaneously. In the unlikely circumstances where these pre-funded resources provided by its clients are insufficient, UK CCPs are also required to maintain a recovery plan to ensure the continuity of its services. The Bank of England, as the regulator responsible for supervising CCPs in the UK, has close oversight of the requirements on firms set out above and is responsible for making sure that CCPs’ recovery plans are robust and up to date.

Musical Instruments: Customs

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether an ATA Carnet is required for the shipment of musical instruments and equipment by truck or cargo between the UK and the EU.

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether an ATA Carnet is required for the portable transportation of musical instruments and equipment for (1) UK musicians working in the EU, and (2) EU musicians working in the UK.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: ATA carnets are available for commercial goods, professional equipment or goods going to trade fairs or exhibitions in participating countries, which are moved on a temporary basis to a new customs territory (i.e. they will not be sold and will return to the country of origin). This includes musical instruments. Carnets allow a single document to be used for clearing goods through customs in the countries that are part of the ATA carnet system. There are two other options available when moving musical instruments temporarily between the EU and the UK (used together for export and reimport procedures); Temporary Admission and Returned Goods Relief. Temporary Admission is a customs procedure that allows a person to import non-UK goods temporarily into the UK. Using Temporary Admission means any import duty or import VAT is suspended as long as the goods are removed from the UK at a later date. Temporary Admission is useful if a person needs to import goods such as samples, professional equipment or items for auction, exhibition or demonstration temporarily into the UK. Returned Goods Relief (RGR) allows eligible items to be reimported free from customs duty and import VAT. The relief can apply to exported items returning to the UK if certain conditions can be met. For RGR to apply, goods must normally be returned within three years of the date of export unless exceptional circumstances exist. For RGR on import VAT to apply the exporter and importer must be the same person and any VAT due must have been previously paid in the UK or EU. Temporary Admission and Returned Goods Relief may be available in the EU. Further information on EU customs procedures can be found online.

Care Homes: Insurance

Lord Stunell: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the underwriting of insurance costs of care homes to businesses in the (1) hospitality, (2) adult, and (3) retail, sector to support the reopening of such businesses once restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted.

Lord Stunell: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the insurance industryabout flexibility in the provision of Employer Liability Insurance for businesses in the (1) hospitality, (2) adult, and (3) retail, sectors, to support such businesses to reopen when the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government recognises the essential role of the insurance industry in providing the cover businesses need to operate. We are working closely with the insurers, the trade bodies and regulators to understand what more the industry can do to help individuals and businesses as the economy reopens, and to monitor the availability of cover and the impact this is having on the sector. As measures to control the virus change, it is right that government support should also evolve. Because of this, we continue to take a flexible approach and keep all impacts and policies under review.

Financial Markets

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the actions of some retail stock brokerages preventing retail traders from purchasing specific stocks on 28 January; and what plans the Financial Conduct Authority has to investigate the matter.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) benefits to institutional finance firms, and (2) costs to retail traders, of the decision by some retail stock brokerages to prevent traders from taking long positions on specific stocks on 28 January.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the UK’s financial markets conduct regulator and is responsible for protecting consumers, ensuring market integrity and promoting effective competition. As set out in the FCA’s statement of 29 January, broking firms are not obliged to offer trading facilities to clients and may withdraw or suspend services if it is necessary or prudent to do so. The FCA’s statement also said that they would take appropriate action wherever they see evidence of UK firms or individuals causing harm to UK consumers or markets. The Government recognises that the pace and creativity of innovation in UK financial services creates new opportunities for businesses and consumers to participate in markets through technologies such as app-based platforms. However, investors should be aware that investing in securities comes with risks. The FCA’s statement of 29 January warned consumers that any losses that result from such investments are unlikely to be covered under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Directors: Coronavirus

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theremarksby the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 25 January that "I and my officials do not believe that [the directors income support scheme] as framed overcomes the fundamental issues of protecting taxpayers’ money and safeguarding it against fraud and abuse" (HC Deb, col 137), which aspects of the proposal for a directors income support scheme by the Federation of Small Businesses do not (1) protect taxpayers' money, and (2) safeguard against fraud and abuse.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Directors Income Support Scheme, as currently framed, is intrinsically reliant on self-certification. As the Government cannot readily verify this information, an effect of this reliance on self-certification is to open the scheme up to an unacceptable level of fraud by organised criminal groups and others who would seek to exploit these schemes. The Government cannot expose the tax system to these risks, but continues to engage with the FSB regarding these concerns.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

RT: Licensing

Lord Austin of Dudley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey havemade of the extent to which RT complies with the requirements of holding a broadcasting licence in the UK.

Lord Austin of Dudley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Ofcom about RT’s compliance with the requirements of holding a broadcasting licence in the UK.

Baroness Barran: Broadcasting regulation compliance is a matter for Ofcom, all regulatory decisions made by Ofcom are fully independent of the Government. Ofcom has an ongoing duty to ensure that all UK licenced broadcasters adhere to requirements under broadcast licence rules.

Telecommunications Systems

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Ofcom about the PublicSwitchTelephone Network switch off; and what plans they have, aside from the Broadband Stakeholder Group website, to ensure that (1) consumers, and (2) businesses, are informed of that switch off.

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of vulnerable people who will be impact by the PublicSwitchTelephone Network switch off.

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the PublicSwitchTelephone Network switch off on businesses across the UK.

Baroness Barran: The retirement of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), and its replacement with Internet Protocol technology, is being led by Openreach and Virgin Media, as the relevant infrastructure owners. Openreach and Virgin Media have publicly set out their plans to withdraw these services by the end of 2025. The migration is likely to affect all fixed exchange lines, of which there are 31.3 million in the UK. Ofcom estimates that 81% of UK households have a landline service, with 4% of UK adults living in a home with a landline and no mobile phone and 3% of UK households having only a landline without any broadband. The Government, Ofcom, and industry are working to ensure that the needs of vulnerable consumers are considered and Ofcom regularly monitors how communication providers are taking steps to ensure they identify and protect vulnerable customers. In June 2020, the Broadband Stakeholder Group, a government advisory forum on telecoms policy, launched the ‘Future of Voice’ website. This consumer-facing website is designed to inform the public and businesses of the PSTN switchover process. The website has been developed with the support of telecoms companies, Ofcom and DCMS. The Government will also continue to work closely with various stakeholders, including the telecoms industry, Ofcom, and other Government departments to ensure the country is prepared for the withdrawal of the PSTN, and will continue to consider the best course of action to prepare for the migration.

Social Media: Racial Harassment

Baroness Brady: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that social media companies address the racist abuse of footballers.

Baroness Barran: The Culture Secretary and Sports Minister recently led a roundtable discussion with current and former players from the Premier League, English Football League (EFL), Women’s Super League (WSL) and Women’s Championship, which discussed online racist abuse and players’ perspectives on tackling discrimination in the game. We are clear that the online racist abuse of football players is unacceptable. We must do all we can to tackle it. We are taking steps through the online harms regulatory framework to ensure that online abuse, whether anonymous or not, is addressed. Under a new legal duty of care, companies will need to remove and limit the spread of illegal content, including illegal online abuse. All companies will need to take swift and effective action against such content. Companies providing high-risk, high-reach services will also need to undertake regular risk assessments to identify legal but harmful material on their services. These companies will need to set clear terms and conditions which explicitly state what categories of legal but harmful material they accept (and do not accept) on their service. Companies will need to enforce these terms and conditions consistently and transparently and could face enforcement action if they do not. The Online Safety Bill, which will give effect to the regulatory framework, will be ready this year.

Women and Equalities

UN Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they aremeeting the UK's responsibilities under theUN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; and how they are ensuring that women can participate in non-governmental and civil society organisations.

Baroness Berridge: The CEDAW Committee published their concluding observations in March 2019, following submission of the UK’s eighth periodic report and examination. We are grateful to the Committee for their consideration. We take our CEDAW responsibilities seriously and will be reporting our progress to the Committee in due course.Non-governmental and civil society organisations play an important role in the reporting and examination process, and representatives from the Government Equalities Office meet with them regularly.The Government has invested over £750 million in the charity sector so that they can continue their vital work through the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes £10 million funding for charities providing safe accommodation for victims of domestic abuse and £15 million for 2020/21 from the Tampon Tax Fund.